Trace-connector.



L. B. IRVIN. v

TRACE CONNEGTOR,- APPLIQATION FILED un. 1`1, 1911.

Paneteadan. 16,1912. l

f' LESLEY B. IRVIN, 0F HENAG-AR, ALABAMA.

TRACE-CONNECTOR.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 16,1912.

Application led April 11, 1911. Serial No. 620,338.

To all whom may concern.'

Be it known that I, LEsLEY B. IRVIN, a citizen of the United States of America, and resident of Henagar, Alabama, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Trace-Connectors, of which the following is a specification. v

This invention relates to whifle trees and particularly to a device for connecting a trace to a swingle tree for retaining the same against accidental displacement or dislodgment, novel means being provided, associated with the whiie tree to edect the objects stated.

With the foregoing and other objects in view, the invention consists in the details of construction and in the arrangement and combination of parts to be hereinafter more fully set forth and claimed.

In describing the invention in detail, reference will be had to the accompanying drawings forming part of this specification wherein like characters denote lcorresponding parts in the several views, and in which- Figure 1 illustrates a perspective view of a fragment of a plow beam and a fragment of a whiiiie tree connected thereto;w Fig. 2 illustrates a fragment of a while tree; Fig. 3 illustrates a longitudinal sectional view of a fragment of the whiflle tree.

The whiflie tree 11 has a connection 9, a fragment of which is shown which may be of any construction for attaching it to a plow, a vehicle or the like, said whifie tree comprising a rolled metal body doubled on itself as at 12, with the sides lying parallel and being provided with a pivotal pin 13 on which a trace engaging wheel is mounted,

the said wheel rotating between the sides vof the while tree. The end of the lwhiii'ie tree is provided with a notch 15 "of such depth as to accommodate a ring 16 or other connection from a trace 17. The wheel is provided with radially depressed slots18 with laterally extending passages 19 communicating therewith, the said passages terminating in seats 20 for the rings 16.

^ In the operation of the device the wheel is rotated until the radially disposed slot is in alinement and merges with the notch 15 Copies of this patent may be obtained for in which position the ring is free to enter the slot 18 and notch 15 in which latter position the wheel is free to be rotated leaving the ring seated in the notch. Rotation of the wheel causes that partof the wheel havingv 1the edge of the whiffle tree so that the said passages are virtually closed and prevent the dislodgment of the ring from the seat after the wheel has been partially rotated from the position where'the radial slots are in alinement with the notch. The ring 16 can, therefore, only be removed from the seat by returning the radial slot 18 into alinement with the notch l5 and restoring the said ring to the notch 15 while said movement is taking place.

As shown in the drawings there are four seats 20 on the wheel, two on each side of each of the radial slots and therefore slight manipulation of the wheel is necessary to effect an engagement or disengagement of the trace connection therewith.

I claim- In a Whittle tree, a body having separated parallel sides, a wheel mounted between the sides near the end thereof, the end of the said body having notches, the said wheel having radial slots, lateral passages merging with the slots, and seats merging with the passages, the said passages being in such position from the center of the wheel as to be guarded by the whifle tree except at the notched portion of said whifiie tree.

In testimony whereof, I affix my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

LE SLEY B. IRVIN.

Witnesses U. R. WRIGHT, I. E. BRELAND.

ve cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. G. 

